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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24504082">Where The Red Fern Grew</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonshost/pseuds/dragonshost'>dragonshost</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Parental Prequels of Unconventional Beauty [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Adoption, Child Abandonment, Family, Gen</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:15:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,439</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24504082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragonshost/pseuds/dragonshost</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After she arrives early to the guild one morning, Levy finds herself with a whole new responsibility on her hands.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loke &amp; Levy McGarden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Parental Prequels of Unconventional Beauty [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/559645</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Where The Red Fern Grew</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic is one of the Parental Prequels to my my fic "Unconventional Beauty."  I expect it to be about two or three chapters long, total.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was a rare morning when Levy beat everyone else to the guild, even Mirajane who would be there at the crack of dawn to ready the guild hall for the day. But the night before had been the first warmish night of April, and Levy hadn't been able to resist strolling about the town in the pre-dawn blue, watching the horizon slowly giving way to purple and gold, and breathing in the cool air saturated with dew. It was a magical time of the day with no hustle or bustle and it felt all the more special for having it all to herself.</p><p>Before she knew it, though, her feet had taken her to the guild of their own accord. It wasn't any great surprise, given how many times she had walked the same path over the years. She didn't even need to wait for Mirajane to open up, either. All of the children that had grown up within its walls had been gifted with their own key to the doors. So using hers, Levy unlocked the building and flicked on the lights. After a second of debating whether she should delve further into the guild hall in search of its library, she decided instead to locate the table nearest the entrance and take up residence there. This way, she reasoned, she could greet everyone that came in and her teammates would be able to find her easily when they were ready to go on a job.</p><p>Levy was halfway through taking down the upturned benches from the top of the table, when she heard the first arrival of the day. "Good morning!" she called out, struggling with the piece of furniture and unable to take a look at just who had shown up. Not for the first time, she cursed her small stature and the strange need Mirajane had for ordering the guild just so when she locked up for the night. Did the benches really need to be put up? Although, Levy supposed that it made it a little easier to sweep under the tables.</p><p>Finally dropping the heavy bench onto the floor, Levy huffed and wiped her forehead. She wasn't against a little exercise in the early morning, but whoever had come in hadn't even bothered to help, or even return Levy's greeting! Levy found that downright rude.</p><p>Turning around to give the other early bird a lecture, Levy was startled to find no one there. The doors were swinging shut once more, indicating that someone had indeed just been there, but there was no one in immediate evidence. Did they come in just to leave again?</p><p>"Did they forget something at home?" Levy wondered aloud.</p><p>It was then that she spotted it. A small basket lay just inside the doors, a soft blanket of muted red draped over it.</p><p>Dread settled into Levy's stomach. She had read enough novels to know exactly what was inside that basket. Stepping softly towards the object, Levy could hear her heart pounding in her ears, and her breath lay heavy in her chest. When she reached it, she gently drew back a corner of the blanket to peer beneath it.</p><p>Sure enough, there lay a very small baby – swaddled carefully and sporting a tiny red cap. Sound asleep. The infant's miniscule fingers were curled around a small stuffed animal, and tucked down by their feet was a white envelope.</p><p>Carefully replacing the blanket, Levy stood frozen above the basket. What was she supposed to do? Should she call for Makarov? Go out and try to find whoever had just left the child? It occurred to her – in the vague sort of way things do when someone was deep into a daze – that the basket was in danger of being kicked or hit by the doors where it was. Grasping the handle, Levy picked it up and carried it to the table she'd readied earlier as gently as she possibly could, taking care not to jostle the sleeping infant. Then Levy sat down, and raised the corner of the blanket once more to gaze at the baby.</p><p>Not a newborn, she didn't think. There had been quite a few in recent years born to her friends, so Levy was sure she had a pretty good handle at differentiating that much. Despite that… the baby in front of her was still very, very young. Not more than a few months old, if that. It was so small.</p><p>It had been ages since any orphaned children had made their home in the guild. Nowadays the children that ran roughshod all over the place had parents attached to them, trying to wrangle them in to no avail, with whom the children would go home with at night. A far cry from the lonely trudge to Fairy Hills that Levy remembered from her youth.</p><p>Well, there would be no loneliness for this little one, Levy was sure. There were plenty of parents around that could probably take the infant in. A couple guild members even had babies not too far apart in age. Garnet was probably the closest, having been born only last September. And on that note, Levy was sure Mirajane would know how to take care of the infant until something could be decided. Her son was three already, after all, and the woman should be arriving soon.</p><p>In the meantime, curiosity rampaged through Levy's mind. Why was the child left at Fairy Tail? Cardia Cathedral wasn't all that far away, and even had an orphanage attached to it that would have been better equipped to handle such a small infant than a guild of mages would. And Fairy Tail was better known for taking in children a good deal older than this baby, besides. So why here?</p><p>The envelope peeked out from under the infant's small feet. Tantalizing knowledge, ready for the reading. Unable to resist the temptation – if only to learn the baby's name – Levy reached in and pried out the envelope. Turning it over in her hands, Levy didn't see an address, or a name anywhere on the outside.</p><p>But before she could open it, the doors once again opened. Levy's head whipped around at the noise. Mirajane elbowed and squeezed her way in, the full use of her arms hampered by the dozing, green-haired child they were full of. "Good morning, Levy," Mirajane greeted softly. "I hope you don't mind that I brought Jean-Luc in with me."</p><p>The little boy's eyes opened and he blinked blearily at Levy before closing them again. He clutched his mother's shirt in a death grip.</p><p>Levy shook her head. "Not at all. But Mira…" She looked towards the basket, at a loss for words.</p><p>Taking stock of what lay in front of the blue-haired woman, Mirajane's eyes widened considerably. "Is that…"</p><p>The script mage swallowed thickly. "It is. Someone dropped off the basket right after I got here. I didn't see who though."</p><p>Mirajane approached the bench and gently lowered herself and her son down onto it. Maneuvering a little, Levy allowed the mother to look under the red blanket at the infant beneath. "They're adorable," Mirajane murmured, her blue eyes soft. "Have they woken up yet?"</p><p>"Not yet. I was just about to check if there was a name in here." Levy brandished the envelope. Without further delay, she opened the flap and drew out a single page, not even half filled by the neat black lettering on it, and spotted with water marks.</p><p>Levy almost choked at its contents.</p><p>When Mirajane eyed her curiously, Levy began to read aloud:</p><p>
  <em>"I'm sorry. I thought I could do this on my own. But I can't, and a daughter should have at least one parent in her life. Please take care of her like I can't. I know you'll do a wonderful job; you've always been good with women as long as I've known you. She's quiet and loves her stuffed cat, Mr. Snuffles. Her birthday is January 27th. I haven't named her yet. I didn't want to without you, but I couldn't find a way to explain why I had kept her a secret until now. I know that you'll give her a lovely name in my place.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I love you both. Take care, Loke.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Love, Tasha."</em>
</p><p>The letter hung limp in Levy's hands, shock and heartbreak rippling through her.</p><p>It was then that the baby finally started to awaken, and let loose a wail that echoed in the empty guild hall.</p><p>Levy wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she could have sworn that it almost sounded despondent.</p>
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